I think I need to clarify a little. When I was talking about Boitano's pouting, it was long before Scott was "the best". Back then, if I remember correctly, neither of them were usually winners. It was kind of when they were starting to come on the scene. It was about then that Scott started winning. It wasn't that long before Brian started doing better. I don't remember him pouting that much as they were improving and winning. That was why I kind of was a little annoyed with Brian. It wasn't long after that I was really loving Brian's skating. He is one of the male skaters that I really love now. (and Kulik) I don't remember at all about the way he acted at the 94 Olympics.
There are lots of things I remember and don't remember but that is one I am sure of. It is my opinion and I guess you can hate me for it if you want.

I think I need to clarify a little. When I was talking about Boitano's pouting, it was long before Scott was "the best". Back then, if I remember correctly, neither of them were usually winners. It was kind of when they were starting to come on the scene. It was about then that Scott started winning. It wasn't that long before Brian started doing better. I don't remember him pouting that much as they were improving and winning. That was why I kind of was a little annoyed with Brian. It wasn't long after that I was really loving Brian's skating. He is one of the male skaters that I really love now. (and Kulik) I don't remember at all about the way he acted at the 94 Olympics.
There are lots of things I remember and don't remember but that is one I am sure of. It is my opinion and I guess you can hate me for it if you want.

Wouldn't dream of hating you -- why? Just sounds like we may be talking about different times -- the competition I took from was 1994 Gold Championship, a pro event after the 1994 Olympics. I think the mixup came when you said something about Brian pouting when Scott beat him, and RealtorGal adding something about a pro event when Scott beat Brian and SingAlto defended Brian about that one pro event when that did happen ... etc.That prompted my report of what happened (TV-wise) in that event. If you're talking about their amateur days, that's something completely different -- although I honestly can't remember too many times in their amateur days when there would have been much interaction between the two. Brian didn't even make the U.S. medal stand until 1983, and by then, Scott was three-time U.S. champion and two-time (soon to be three-time) world champion and the toast of the town. There wasn't a lot of coverage back then,and I can't remember too many times when Brian even got interviewed at the same time Scott did -- if he did, I can't imagine he'd "pout" much, since at that point he was just glad to get on the medal stand at all and nobody really figured he could compete with Scott. I don't think Brian ever beat Scott in amateur competition. Scott retired after 1984 Worlds, and Brian then won his first national championship the following year.

I DO remember one time feeling Brian was less than gracious, perhaps, in a competitive situation, but that was in a Sports Festival (I believe) in either 85 or 86, I think, when Chris Bowman went out and did a very nice performance -- not perfect, but very good, and Bowman the Showman certainly had the audience in the palm of his hand. He also got a 6.0 or two (and that was back when 6.0s were generally reserved for T&D or for Scott's 1984 nationals long program). Brian, the reigning national champion and world medalist, followed and did a good, but less-than-perfect performance, and also got, I think, one 6.0. When he was interviewed after about it, he seemed less concerned with getting his first 6.0 (I believe he said that it was) than he was about the fact that Bowman got some. I believe he said something along the lines of how surprised he was to see "some little kid," or something like that, get 6.0s when he had never gotten any. I felt that was less than gracious, but I could understand someone who has spent years putting out outstanding performances and his own country's judges had never seen fit to give him (or a lot of other very worthy skaters) a 6.0, then suddenly hand some out to a newcomer who wasn't doing the hardest stuff might get his nose out of joint a bit and say something a bit hastily. Brian quickly added that Chris was a great skater, etc., so I think he recognized that was not exactly the way to talk, and I never heard anything else like that from him again.

But, you could have seen or heard things I didn't, and I certainly wouldn't "hate" you for an opinion or recollection that differs from mine. I have some skaters I've not been fond of in the past because of things I've heard them say or seen them do. Some I've changed my opinion about, others I haven't, but it's my opinion, and I'm welcome to it, right?

And back on the subject of the thread title -- I can remember another skater I changed my mind about in a big, big way. Kristi Yamaguchi. I liked her from the first time I saw her, but I felt her rather boring -- well, not really boring, but a skater who was rather remote. She was lovely to watch, but I didn't FEEL anything when I saw her skate. And I definitely liked her better as a competitive skater than as an exhibition skater, because she was so precise and correct when she competed, and that worked for competition, but again, she just didn't grab emotionally, so exhibitions were less exciting.

BUT, that has changed big time. I remember absolutely falling in love with her Blue Danube short program for the 1992 season and I've watched that over and over. And since that time, I've absolutely loved just about everything that she's done -- that did even prompt me to go back and watch more of her competitive programs from her earlier days. I always liked her as a pair skater with Rudy, too, and have watched those programs over, too. I've made a point of trying to see her live as much as possible and there are few, if any, programs she's done that I haven't managed to see on tape or in person. And you better believe I have been missing her greatly the past few years, when she's done limited appearances, and I dread the day that she retires from performing entirely. Her grace, delicacy, joy and dedication to being good are unique. I can't believe I ever managed to not "feel" anything when she skated. What was I thinking?

"Hate" is such a strong word. I may not like a certain skaters' style or technique or both, but I really don't "hate" anyone LOL.

Skaters I strongly disliked, however, from the first moment...

Sasha Cohen
Michael Weiss
Timothy Goebel (but he's growing on me, ever so gradually)
Nancy Kerrigan
Tara Lipinski (first time I saw her she butchered Anastasia, pun not intended however I owe her my dream of becoming a choreographer someday; I vowed to come up with a program ten times better to it that captures the majesty, mystery, magic and power of this magnificent score, and I have come up with 10 programs to it since)

First time I saw Sarah I liked her, but over time I noticed her horrible technique, now I really can't stand her LOL.

I've never had much respect for Nicole Bobek. Here's a skater who squandered a great amount of talent and her entire eligible career with terrible training habits, constant coach switching (something like nine coaches, all told), a bad attitude, and lack of focus. What a waste of time for her coaches, as well. I just have no respect for people in any line of work who cannot and will not apply themselves.

I kind of had different thoughts on Nicole. I did get really disgusted with her but in the back of my head I always kind of blamed it on her mother. (Don't we always get the blame? ) She obviously was really spoiled. It's really too bad these things hinder someone's talent. Too bad we didn't have Dr. Phil back then!

I've never had much respect for Nicole Bobek. Here's a skater who squandered a great amount of talent and her entire eligible career with terrible training habits, constant coach switching (something like nine coaches, all told), a bad attitude, and lack of focus. What a waste of time for her coaches, as well. I just have no respect for people in any line of work who cannot and will not apply themselves.

I guess that i'm much more forgiving of young skaters given that they're usually either really young or in their teens, at the most early 20s. The level of commitment to succeed in skating is huge and i just can't blame a child for not always wanting to apply themselves fully to it. I'm in my mid 20s and i still have those days where i just can't get my work done!

I wouldn't say Nicole was spoiled. if anything (launching into Dr. Phil mode) I would say she suffered from low self esteem. She had a trying and unconventional upbringing, including brushes with the law. I was glad that she had such a long and successful pro career.

I wouldn't say Nicole was spoiled. if anything (launching into Dr. Phil mode) I would say she suffered from low self esteem. She had a trying and unconventional upbringing, including brushes with the law. I was glad that she had such a long and successful pro career.

My lasting memory of Nicole always has her boo-hooing in the kiss 'n cry after after she messed up yet another long program. What really made me lose respect for her was her decision to go on tour with "Nutcracker on Ice" during December 1995 - when she was nursing an injured ankle. Her doctor told her to stay off the ice, but she decided to go ahead and proceed with the 22-city tour. Granted, the money was probably quite lucrative, and she and her mother probably needed the money - but when you're seriously injured, you must take care of yourself. Then, at the 1996 US Nationals, Bobek re-injured her ankle while skating in the warm-up for the long program. Her coach told her to not attempt the double axel - and she went out and tried the double axel anyway. The television cameras showed her sniffling and crying at the boards, and then followed her to the dressing room. OK, I do think it was cruel for the television cameras to follow her right up to the door of the women's locker room! IMHO, the USFSA did the right thing in not giving her a bye to the Worlds, even though she was the defending National Champion.

Had Nicole not toured with "Nutcracker", stayed home and nursed her ankle, and then re-injured herself at Nationals, I would almost bet that she would have received a bye to the Worlds, and that she, and not Tara Lipinski, would have been the third woman on that team. Oh, well, it's history now.

I never really liked Nancy Kerrigan's skating. IMBO, it was stilted, stiff, and not very graceful. She typically missed at least one or two of her triple jumps, and when she make a mistake, her face contorted into a terrible scowl. OK, so you made a mistake - get back into the routine and keep going. She kept her disappointed look throughout the end of the performance, and when she finished, she looked as though she wanted to scream.

Another thing I really disliked about Kerrigan was her so-called "spokesman" jobs after the Olympics. This girl was inarticulate, with a lot of hemming and hawing, and she was awkward in interviews. At the age of 24, one would think she would have gained some poise and confidence, especially since she had been the subject of numerous interviews prior to the knee bashing. After Lillehammer, she took a job as a spokesman for a company (can't remember the name), and she said, "Well, I just don't know what I'm supposed to say".

I read an article in a Florida newspaper at that time that commented on this. The writer stated (to paraphrase), "That's equivalent to an airplane pilot accepting the position to fly a jumbo jet and they saying, "Well I just don't know how to fly the plane."